Artur Brzozowski, the curator of the Full Moon section, talks about how TIFF has changed, the film selection process, and why he loves genre films.
Şerban Mark Pop: Let's start with your involvement in TIFF. If I'm not mistaken, this is the fifth year you're curating the Full Moon section. How have these five years been? What is your opinion on the festival's evolution?
Artur Brzozowski: Time flies! But it also confirms how much joy organizing this section brings me. It's hard for me to compare each year from a cinematic perspective because each year is different, new themes of interest for directors emerge. For me, TIFF is a festival that takes place every year with great success and, at the same time, never loses its human touch. You feel welcomed and warmly embraced here, and it's also exciting from a cinematic point of view.
Speaking of that, how do you think the selection process has changed over these years? And how have the films evolved? Have you noticed any major changes in style or perspective?
A.B.: From a technical point of view, the selection process doesn't change much. What does change, of course, is the experience, perception, and perspectives, whether they are personal or from the audience. Mihai and I aimed to present films from multiple countries in the Full Moon program, showcasing as many new and interesting subjects that haven't been explored by genre films in this form yet. And if they have been presented before, they should have that something special – a "fresh air" – the best example being "Talk to Me" from this year's program. At first, you think, "I've seen this before," but then you find yourself hit by a wave of adrenaline. At the first screening I attended, a few people fainted, and my smartwatch reported a high heart rate. That's why I love genre films – they always bring surprises. Change in style or perspective? Definitely – I believe that recent years, which have been marked by a lot of fear and isolation, are being processed by filmmakers – many films are made about outsiders (Accident), about what makes a human being different and about empathy. What's special about a person (Black Magic), emancipation and relationships with loved ones play an important role (Double Lives, Family Dinner). Another trend I observe is the strength of Asian cinema in this genre. Fate Is to Blame and Wolf Hunt are films that would have never been told in that way in Europe.
Full Moon is an international film collection. I'm curious how you perceive different perspectives on horror films from around the world? How do you find the techniques and general ideals of European horror differ from those of Asian or other cultures?
A.B.: In general, I appreciate good filmmaking regardless of the country of origin, but you always see certain storytelling methods in different countries – European cinema often has the courage to tell unpleasant stories in a concise manner, leaving them even more painful in memory at the end (Accident). From my point of view, Asian cinema is already a few years ahead in the genre film domain, with unusual stories and strong narrative complexity. I can only recommend both parts of this year's program.
Horror is often seen as inaccessible or unattractive to the general audience. What drew you to it, and why should viewers give it a chance?
A.B.: This attitude still stems from the tradition of genre cinema because it often involved B-movies or extreme and unpleasant films. Genre films with big stars were more of an exception – and now let's look at "Infinity Pool" or "Asteroid City," both films with many stars and for a wide audience. But I think many people are afraid of fear and think it will affect them too much after the screening. And that's fair – films should have an impact. I compare going to the cinema to see a genre film to taking a ride on a roller coaster – you get scared a little, and then the happiness hormone is released, and you won't forget the adventure.